Taste of Salt: Chapters 1–6

by Frances Temple
This novel tells the story of Djo and Jeremie, two young people in Haiti working to improve conditions in their country and achieve their dreams.

Here are links to our lists for the novel: Chapters 1–6, Chapters 7–12, Chapters 13–18, Chapter 19–Epilogue
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. vendor
    someone who exchanges goods or services for money
    I can hear the taptap callers, the fresco vendors, the egg seller's shout, the truck horns.
  2. commotion
    the act of making a noisy disturbance
    By the commotion, I know that a good-looking woman is coming this way.
  3. bludgeon
    a club used as a weapon
    My head is lumpy from the Macoutes' bludgeons.
    The example sentence could also be using "bludgeons" as a noun to refer to the repeated act of beating with a club.
  4. swell
    expand abnormally
    My eyes are swollen halfshut like an old drunkard.
  5. ease
    lessen pain or discomfort; alleviate
    When she’s tired, she rocks to ease her back.
  6. fury
    a feeling of intense anger
    Then one day she full of fury: the man Mama sells her garlic to has lost his job, so Mama has got no market for her garlic. She goes to stripping palm, and cusses when it cuts her hands.
  7. rue
    (French) a street or road in France
    One day, Jeremie, a lady comes down Rue Michel.
    This is also the word for "street" in countries that have been colonized or influenced by France.
  8. hover
    linger or remain near a place
    The girl hovers like a moth, near, far.
  9. jagged
    having an irregularly notched or toothed margin
    Two of my teeth are broken off, jagged to touch with my tongue.
  10. mischief
    reckless or malicious behavior causing annoyance in others
    I see him peeking in the window making mischief.
  11. sermon
    an address of a religious nature
    You know the refrain he uses sometimes in his sermons?
  12. solidarity
    a union of interests or purposes among members of a group
    Titid says that to defend one another, that is wealth. Solidarity is Titid’s big word for it.
  13. rile
    disturb, especially by minor irritations
    Me and Lally find two crickets. I pull off feeler from mine, and he pulls off feeler from his. Now both crickets are riled.
  14. encouragement
    the act of giving hope or support to someone
    Lally’s cricket needs encouragement, so Lally is yelling.
  15. influence
    have and exert an effect
    “How one thing will influence the other," she says, "and how we can change the way of the thing.
  16. renegade
    having deserted a cause or principle
    Like one day we find a newspaper with headline reading Street Criminals Given Home by Renegade Priest.
    "Renegade" is used as a negative adjective in the headline to suggest that the priest is a disloyal rebel. But the speaker does not agree with the headline's tone, because he works for the priest. Additionally, giving homes to street criminals would be in line with the principles of a religious man who serves a purpose higher than one government's laws.
  17. reprimand
    rebuke formally
    One day we find a small article saying Father Aristide Reprimanded by Salesian Order.
  18. obedience
    dutiful or submissive behavior toward another person
    “I did swear to obey my Order. I did promise obedience.”
  19. fuss
    an angry disturbance
    When we get back home to Titid’s, there is big fuss going on because of all these rumors that somebody want to poison Titid.
    Compare with "commotion" in this list. The two nouns are often synonymous, but in the example sentences, the moods surrounding the words are opposite: the "commotion" was about something good coming while the "fuss" was about something bad that might happen.
  20. contradict
    prove negative; show to be false
    And I was getting a devil that made me want to contradict whatever Titid would say.
  21. tarry
    leave slowly and hesitantly
    “Djo, the message must go now.”
    “Okay, Titid.” But I tarry for no reason.
  22. ponder
    reflect deeply on a subject
    “I wasn’t asleep, Jeri. I was pondering, you know, pondering on the question of what make freedom.”
  23. lurk
    lie in wait or behave in a sneaky and secretive manner
    People are lurking in the shadow.
  24. daze
    confusion characterized by lack of clarity
    Some of the men look dazed, like zombies, they stare so at nothing.
  25. opportunity
    a possibility from a favorable combination of circumstances
    Another man interrupts him to say, “We leave our dear Haiti to make big money in the Dominican Republic. Is a great opportunity, see?”
Created on Sun Aug 24 00:31:38 EDT 2014 (updated Tue Sep 04 15:52:49 EDT 2018)

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